My Reel

Allen Achterberg · January 2, 2006

comments and critizisms are welcome.

http://www.powow.com/aaazfilms1/demo%20net.wmv

or Mac users...

http://www.powow.com/aaazfilms1/quicktime%20demo.mov

Thank you.

Chris Keth · January 2, 2006

There is a lot to like but I would suggest one thing about the display page: make the background black. My browser gave me a white background with the .mov in the middle so, to my eye, a lot of the shots looked darker than I know they are (I also downloaded the .mov to see it in better display context).

Personally, I think I would cut out the 'behind the scenes' lead in. The screen time would be better used with another attractive shot or just having a tighter reel is good, too. I also don't care for the music video shots placed where they are. I think I would prefer the dramatic work in an unbroken thread, it was disturbing to me.

In general, though, you chose shots very well and it's well put together. Quite impressive, on the whole.

Edited January 2, 2006 by Christopher D. Keth

Brian S. Miller · January 2, 2006

Hi, It looks ok, my advice might seem a little shallow, but I would recommend using a different song. Something without words... Yeh, I know, I said it would sound shallow...

Bergmann said, "Film has a rhythm, like music, so why add music to music"?

then again, Martin Scorsese, always suprises us with his choices of music, so what the hell do I know...

Just reconcider the music, that's all I'm saying....

Good Luck!

Chris Reilly · January 2, 2006

Nice Face shots and such, but maybe add some more shots with more action and camera movements. It got a little dull after the first few "faces" that you showed.

-Chris Reilly

January 5, 2006

I know its a reel, but why not throw in some dialogue anyway...I like the part when the music rises and the soldier is struggling to aim with his gun in the snow. That was emotionally good. Over here on the web some of those shots looked a bit greenish, dull and lacking in adequate light but I guess thats the web for you. I am sure you did that just fine. Compositions were good. All good.

Allen Achterberg · January 7, 2006

Feedback is much appreciated and opinions and recommendations will be considered. I agree with most. Changes are being made and another cut will be up for view shortly. and perhaps I brighten these pictures up for web viewing.

Again, thank you

Joseph White · January 7, 2006

i think overall there's a lot of nice stuff here, i'd just advise perhaps condensing it a bit as it seems like most of it comes from the same source material and if you aren't including dialogue there's no real reason to keep using so many similar shots (which are nicely done, mind you) from the same picture.

i'd also reccomend using a song without lyrics as no matter how much it's a montage of photography, you can't help but somewhat pay attention to the song and anything that takes peoples' focus away from your lighting can't be a good thing.

definitely a good bunch of stuff though - be sure to post your next pass at it.

Travis Cline · January 13, 2006

Good stuff, I would only secone what others have said about losing the behind the scenes intro stuff and not cut back to footage we've already scene. tighter is always better with a reel, in my opinion anyway. My wife and I are wondering how you know of Lube? We are living in Russia for the time being and we love them. Other than that, I like the 2.35-ish matte on your 16mm stuff. I think the 2.35 helps it feel bigger. Also, and I don't know if it is my connection or something, but it played at a really low quality and while that may not be fair to judge your photography based on that, those who hire you want to see things you've shot that look exactly like they want their product to look.

Travis

Also, thanks for posting your reel, I'm cutting a new reel right now and it helps to hear what other say about cutting reels and seeing what does and does not work. Thanks

Allen Achterberg · January 13, 2006

Lube? I listen to a lot of Foreign music, Russian, German, Dutch, anything I can get my hands on. It serves as a great learning tool to any language. I can speak a little russian and I like his music. I did do what most suggested and a few things I wanted to do so here is another cut. Please let me know if it is better. whats bad, what to keep, what to lose...etc.

http://www.youtube.com/?v=IgxUI9G3Txk

and a music vid I shot

http://www.youtube.com/?v=E7p9li3QOBk

Thank you,

WLphoto · February 2, 2006

I agree with others that the "behind the scenes" shot did not work. Fade up from black might be nice.

Some people objected, but I don't mind the music choice. Quiet and pensive in the beginning. Up tempo and intense in the middle. Fade back to sad and pensive. Now try to fit the scene selection to match this trajectory. Maybe put the soldier battle scenes in the middle section? Longer, darker cuts at the end.

I did not like the band images. Too jarring, commercial, didn't fit the tempo of this soundtrack, in the middle of so many quiet natural light portraits.

Others' advice about not returning to earlier scenes is sensible. The exception would be if you could edit them so that the storylines weave together and form a short narrative that wraps up at the end of the song. That would be difficult if they weren't orginally scripted to fit together.

Beautiful portrait lighting, by the way.

W.C.